Cotton harvester for producing modules which can be automatically identified and oriented

ABSTRACT

RFID tags pre-installed on bale wrap segments provide location information for a specific area of the bale wrap. RFID tag readers located on the cotton harvester provide signals for use by the module wrapping apparatus for initiating a cutting or separating operation, once a module has been wrapped, and for warning an operator of a situation where the wrapping function has not proceeded in an orderly fashion after a signal for starting the wrapping function has been received. A wrapped module carries the pre-installed RFID tags which are readable by RFID readers carried by module handlers in the field and/or at the gin input which identify the modules and establish a position to which the module may be automatically oriented so that an ideal module wrap cutting location is easily calculated. The RFID tag reading taken in the field or at the gin thus senses the number on the tag as well as the location of the tag, and the module identification is input to an electronic database.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to wrapped bales or modules and,more specifically, to identification of cotton or similar crop modulesand orientation of the modules relative to a specific location on thewrapper.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known in the process of harvesting seed cotton, corn stover, hayor other products to use a module forming apparatus, such as a baler, toproduce wrapped cylindrical modules or bales of the harvested product.U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,650, granted on Jul. 24, 2001 discloses a cottonharvester which embodies a module forming apparatus equipped with amodule wrapping apparatus.

It is desired to be able to automatically trace the harvested product asit is produced along with associated information which might includecustomer name, field number, weight, average yield where module isproduced, moisture content, module diameter, seed variety, and GPSlocation and associated mapping data.

Another desire is for a combined round module forming and wrappingapparatus to have the capability of separating a predetermined length ofwrapping material from a wrapping material supply roll for applying adesired number of wraps to the circumference of a module having apreselected diameter. This would include separating pre-partitionedlengths of wrapping material from the supply roll (see U.S. Pat. No.6,787, 209, granted on Sep. 7, 2004 for an example of wrapping materialsupply rolls including pre-partitioned lengths of wrapping material), orwould include defining at what point to cut the predetermined length ofwrapping material from the supply roll. A related desired feature is tobe able to know how many predetermined or pre-partitioned lengths ofwrapping material remain on the supply roll once a bale is wrapped.

In conjunction with the wrapping apparatus, it is also desired thatthere be confirmation that the bale or module has been successfullywrapped before it is ejected from the baling or module formingapparatus.

Once the bale or module is ejected onto the ground from the baling ormodule forming arrangement, there may be a need for reliably determiningthe orientation of the bale if there is a need to position the bale in aparticular orientation relative to a wrap location, such as when aparticular wrap area on the bale provides added protection againstmoisture (U. S. Pat. No. 7,093,407, granted Aug. 22, 2006 discloses away of marking a wrapped bale so that it can later be properly orientedfor maximum protection against ground moisture).

In the case of wrapped cotton bales or modules arriving at a gin, thewrapper must be cut at a specific location to prevent formation of aloose inner tail that can become separated from the remainder of theremoved wrap and can enter into the gin system. The first length ofwrapping material entering the bale chamber on the harvester orprocessor typically does not bond well with the next adjoining layer ofwrap. After about six feet (two meters) of wrapping material are appliedto the circumference of the module or bale, the tension and tackiness ofone side of the wrapping material helps bond the inner layer to thesecond layer. Although it is known to provide apparatus for removingwrappers from modules at the cotton gin (for example, see U.S. Pat. No.7,165,928, granted Jan. 23, 2007), a reliable method and apparatus fordetermining the location of the loose inner tail and cutting the wrap ata location offset from the tail is necessary to avoid gin contaminationwith plastic tail material. If the bales vary in size, the positioningprocess becomes more difficult.

Another need at the gin is automatic identification of the order thatmodules are passing down the gin feeder floor. An identification systemused today requires a worker to physically place identification tags onmodules in the field, and to remove the tag from a given module andmaintain it in order with other prior and post tags for grower qualityidentification and payment purposes.

There is a need then to automatically place an identification marker ona cotton bale or module so that the module may be identified and trackedfrom the time it leaves the bale or module forming and wrappingarrangements until the time it enters the gin.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided a controlarrangement for a combined module forming apparatus and module wrappingapparatus.

A broad object of the invention is to provide such a control arrangementthat includes a wrap material separating device for automaticallyseparating pre-partitioned or predetermined lengths of wrapping materialfrom a material supply roll during the process of wrapping a cylindricalmodule or bale in the module or bale forming chamber.

This object is achieved by resorting to radio frequency identification(RFID) technology including RFID transponders, which are sometimesreferred to as tags, and RFID tag readers. As applied here, a pluralityof low cost RFID tags, including a radio frequency integrated circuit(RFIC) and an antenna are each positioned on a substrate that isaffixed, as by an adhesive, at strategic locations on each predeterminedor pre-partitioned length of wrapping material before the wrappingprocess is begun in the bale chamber. In one embodiment of theinvention, tags are placed strategically at three locations on eachpredetermined or pre-partitioned length of wrapping material to allowRFID reading capability under various conditions or functions. Aduplicate tag, with the same identification number as the first, may beplaced at each of the three locations to guarantee a reading at thoselocations even if one tag were to fail. Considered when thepredetermined or pre-partitioned length of wrapping material is appliedto a bale or module, a first RFID tag is located near an outer tail endof, and offset to one side of, the length of wrapping material in aposition for being read by a first RFID tag reader located on either themodule forming apparatus or module wrapping apparatus. A second RFID tagis centrally located in an inner tail region for being read by a secondRFID tag reader located on the baling apparatus near the entrance to thebaling chamber, with the orientation and power level of the secondreader being such that it will detect the second RFID tag only after onecomplete wrap of material has been applied to the bale. An absence ofsuch a reading after the wrapping cycle has begun would be an indicatorthat something is amiss in the operation and the operator could beapprised of this fact by a warning so that a bale is not ejected beforebeing properly wrapped. The second RFID tag reader could be provided atan alternate location adjacent an upper region of the baling chamber. Athird RFID tag is provided at a location spaced a fixed amount from thefirst location chosen such that there is no chance that all three of theRFID tags applied to the bale would be in ground contact at the sametime so as to prevent at least one of the tags from being read by ahand-held or machine borne reader once the bale is discharged onto theground.

An RFID reader at the gin input determines the inner tail location fromthe tag location as the module is rotated during processing. Suchrotation may be performed by a loader for loading the module onto thegin in let conveyor floor having the capability for supporting androtating the module about its axis so that a wrap location offsetapproximately 180 degrees from the inner tail is aligned with thecutting device, the loader being equipped with an RFID tag reader whichsenses the number and other information contained on the tag as well asthe location of the tag, and the module identification is input to anelectronic database of an on-board computer that is coupled to the RFIDtag reader.

Thus, it will be appreciated that the use of RFID technology has severaladvantages for logistics and inventory control of cotton modules duringthe entire cycle from module creation to lint bale creation. Bypre-installing RFID tags into the predetermined or pre-partitionedlengths of wrap material ahead of actual creation of the round bales ormodules, an RFID reader on-board the round module forming machine can beused to determine when a module has been created. In addition, the RFIDtags can be used to angularly position round wrapped modules on theground to take advantage of the overlapping wrap areas or specialnon-pervious areas on the wrap for improved module protection.

The ideal cut location for the wrapper can be easily determined for anywrapping orientation and diameter of a module going down a feeder floor.The manual operation of removing a physical tag is eliminated. By usingRFID technology, the chance of human error in keeping track of the orderof modules going down the feeder floor is significantly reduced, and themodule order is now in an electronic database form available for otherpost-processing.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the description below in view of thedrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic left side view of a seed cotton harvesting machineincorporating a baling device equipped with a wrapping apparatus forwrapping a cylindrical cotton module formed in the baling chamber.

FIG. 2 is a schematic top view showing a section of wrapping materialincluding several interconnected predetermined or pre-partitionedlengths of wrapping material, to each of which three RFID tag assemblieshave been attached.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing that part of the control for moduleforming machine and the wrapping apparatus used in effecting separationof the predetermined or pre-partitioned lengths of the wrapping materialfrom the wrapping material supply roll during the module wrappingoperation.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a wrapped cotton moduleshowing the location of the three RFID tag assemblies incorporated intothe plastic wrapping material.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a self-propelled cottonharvester 10 including a main frame 12 supported for movement by forwarddrive wheels 14 and rear steerable wheels 16. An operator's station orcab 18 is supported at a forward location on an elevated region of theframe so as to provide an operator a clear view of a cotton harvestinghead 20 mounted to a forward end of the frame 12, which removes cottonfrom plants and directs the removed cotton into an air conveying systemincluding an air duct arrangement 22.

An upright cotton accumulator arrangement 30 with an upper inletstructure 32 and a metering floor 34 is supported on the frame 12 behindthe cab 18 for receiving the cotton from the air duct arrangement 22. Aselectively operable cotton processor which, as shown, is a largecylindrical moduleor bale-forming apparatus or arrangement 36 supportedrearward of the accumulator arrangement 30. The accumulator arrangement30 stores cotton as necessary, and the metering floor 34 uniformlydistributes the cotton into a module-forming chamber 38, by way of achamber inlet 40.

The module-forming chamber 38 is broadly similar to the bale-formingarrangement of the large round baler disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,979,141, granted 9 Nov. 1999, in that it includes opposite sideshaving a forward region defined by a pair fixed, transversely spacedside walls 42, which are joined to the main frame 12, and a rear regiondefined by a pair of transversely spaced side walls 44 that formopposite sides of a discharge gate 46, which is mounted to an upper rearlocation of the fixed side walls 42 for pivoting vertically about ahorizontal axis defined by a pivot assembly 48, between a lowered,module-forming position, as shown, and a raised module-dischargeposition. The circumference of the module- forming chamber 38 is definedby a module-forming arrangement including a plurality of endless belts50 supported in side-by-side relationship across a support rollarrangement comprising a plurality of fixed rolls and a plurality ofmovable rolls. Specifically, proceeding clockwise from an upper boundaryof the chamber inlet 40, the fixed rolls include a bottom front roll 51,a lower front roll 52, an upper front roll 54, and a top front roll 56all extending between and having opposite ends rotatably mounted to thefixed side walls 42. Continuing on, the fixed rolls further include atop front gate roll 58, an upper rear gate roll 60 a bottom rear gateroll 62 and a bottom front gate roll 64 all extending between and havingopposite ends rotatably mounted to the gate side walls 44. A belttensioning arm arrangement 66 comprises a pair of transversely spacedarms 68 having forward ends joined to a transverse tube that extendsbetween, and is pivotally mounted, as at a pivot arrangement 70, to amiddle front region of the fixed side walls 42. The plurality of movablerolls comprise three rolls 72, 74 and 76, which extend between and haveopposite ends respectively rotatably mounted to the arms 68 of thetensioning arm arrangement 66. The roll 72 is located at a rear end ofthe arms 68, the roll 74 positioned in adjacent spaced relationship tothe roll 72, and the roll 76 is spaced toward the pivot arrangement 70from the roll 74.

Beginning at the bottom front roll 51, the endless, module-forming belts50 are looped under the roll 51 and include an outer run which isengaged serially with the lower front roll 52, the upper front roll 54,the movable roll 76, the top front roll 56, the top front gate roll 58,the upper rear gate roll 60, the lower rear gate roll 62, and the lowerfront gate roll 64. An inner run of the belts 50 includes a loop engagedover a top rear fixed roll 78, which extends between an upper rearregion of the fixed side walls 42, with the loop being positionedbetween the movable rolls 72 and 74. As shown, the tensioning armarrangement 66 is in an initial, lowered position corresponding to whenthe module-forming chamber 38 is in an empty condition, with themodule-forming belts defining a generally triangular shape, as viewedfrom the side. The tensioning arm arrangement 66 normally includestensioning elements such hydraulic cylinders and/or springs (not shown,but well known) which are mounted between the fixed walls 42 and thearms 68 so as to yieldably resist their upward movement as themodule-forming chamber 38 becomes filled with cotton. As shown, one ormore of the fixed rolls are driven so as to cause the belts 50 to bedriven, with the drive direction being such as to cause the incomingcotton to travel counterclockwise as it is added as a spiral layer tothe growing cotton module. As the module grows within the chamber 38,the arms 68 of the tensioning arm arrangement 66 rotate counterclockwiseuntil a module having a predetermined diameter has been formed in thechamber 38, this diameter being sensed by a module size sensor 69,having a purpose explained below.

A module or bale wrapping apparatus or arrangement 80 is mounted to arear wall of the discharge gate 46 and includes a cover 82 hinged at itstop and covering an active wrapping material supply roll 84 consistingof wrapping material 86. The wrapping material 86 used here ispreferably, but not necessarily, formed from semi-permeable plasticsheet. An end section of the wrapping material 86 extends downwardlyfrom a forward side of the supply roll 84 and is fed between upper andlower wrap material feed rolls 88 and 90, respectively. With referencealso to FIG. 3, it can be understood that the upper roll 88 has itsopposite ends mounted for rotation in brackets 91 that are mounted forsliding and are spring biased so that the upper roll 88 is yieldablybiased downwardly into engagement with the lower roll 90. The upper roll88 is positioned slightly to the rear of the lower roll 90 50 that acommon tangent to the rolls, at their line of contact, extends upwardlyand forwardly toward a vertical run of the module-forming belts 50. Upondriving the feed rolls 88 and 90, in a manner described below, thewrapping material 86 exiting the feed rolls 88 and 90 is deliveredagainst the vertical run of the belts 50 and carried to a wrappingmaterial guide structure 92 which extends beneath a lower run of thebelts 50, the belts 50 acting to carry the wrapping material 86 alongthe guide structure 92, and then around the lower front gate roll 64 andinto the module-forming chamber 38, by way of the chamber inlet 40, thewrapping material 86 then being trapped between the module-forming belts50 and a completed cotton module 94 located in the expanded balingchamber 38. Thus, a wrapping material feed device is defined, at leastin part, by the feed rolls 88 and 90, the module-forming belts 50 andthe material guide structure 92 The speed at which the wrapping material86 is moved by the belts 50 and rotating module 94 is greater than thespeed at which it is delivered by the feed rolls 88 and 90, causing thewrapping material 86 to be tensioned and stretched as it is wrappedabout the module 94. Once a desired length of the wrapping material (1.5to 2 wraps, for example) is wrapped about the cotton module 94, thedrive to the feed roll 88 is discontinued and a cutting mechanism,described in more detail below, is actuated so as to separate thematerial being wrapped about the module 94 from the material supply roll84.

A wrapping material cut-off or separation device 130 is provided forselectively separating the supply roll 84 from a length of wrappingmaterial that is being wrapped about a completely formed module 94located in the baling chamber 38. The cut-off or separation device 130includes an upstanding, horizontal, transverse cutting blade 132 fixedrearward of the lower rear gate roll 62 and having a cutting edge 134disposed just below a path P extending tangent to an upper frontlocation of the lower feed roll 90 and a lower rear location of the gateroll 62, and followed by the wrapping material 86 during the wrapping ofa bale. A pair of curved arms 136 and 138 have respective rear endsfixed to right- and left-hand end regions of a cross shaft 140 mountedfor pivoting about a horizontal, transverse axis located behind the feedrolls 88 and 90. Respective forward ends of the arms 138 and 140 arejoined by a horizontal, transverse, angle-shaped anvil 144 that isdisposed above, and on the opposite side of the path P from, the bladecutting edge 134. This position of the arms 138 and 140 holds the anvil144 in a stand-by position occupied when a bale is being wrapped, forexample. Once wrapping of the bale is substantially completed, the anvil144 is moved downwardly so as to engage the wrapping material 86 locatedalong the path P and bring it into engagement with the blade cuttingedge 134, with the anvil 144 then being in a cutting position. Movementof the anvil 144 between its stand-by and cutting positions isselectively accomplished by operation of an extensible and retractableactuator, here depicted as an electric linear motor 146 having itsoutput connected between the right side wall 44 and an upper rearlocation of the right-hand arm 136. Thus, as viewed in FIG. 3,retraction of the linear motor 146 will cause the arms 136 and 138 to bepivoted clockwise.

A belt drive 150 is provided for driving the upper feed roll 88 andincludes a drive pulley 152 coupled to a left end of the lower rear gateroll 62, a driven pulley 154 coupled to a left end of the feed roll 88,a drive belt 156 engaged with the pulleys 132 and 134 and a tensioningroll 158 mounted to the end of an arm 160 that is pivotally mounted tothe left-hand arm 138 and biased so that the tensioning roll 158 isresiliently biased, as by a torsion spring (not shown) acting betweenthe arms 138 and 160, into engagement with a lower run of the belt 156when the arms 136 and 138 are positioned for holding the anvil 144 inits stand-by, position, as shown in FIG. 3. When the arms 136 and 140are pivoted clockwise by retraction of the linear motor 146, thetensioning roll 158 is moved away from the belt 156 so as to permit thedrive belt 156 to become slack, thus, disconnecting the drive betweenthe gate roll 62 and the feed roll 88. At the same time, a braking forceis applied to the feed roll 88 by a braking device comprising anadjustable stop 162, a pivotally suspended braking arm 164 and a brakepad 166. Specifically, the stop 162 is carried at an upper rear locationof the left-hand arm 138 and is located closely adjacent a rear face ofthe brake arm 164, which has the pad 166 affixed to its forward face andis positioned behind the pulley 134. The stop 162 is positioned so as tocause the arm 164 to pivot towards, and apply the brake pad 166 against,the pulley 154 when the arm 138 is pivoted clockwise, as viewed in FIG.3. This results in a length of the wrapping material 86, which extendsbetween the feed rolls 88,90 and the bale 94 being wrapped beingtensioned which aids the cutting action.

A knife-operation sensor 168 is used for providing a signal to acomputer 170, forming part of a electronic control arrangement 171 forthe module forming apparatus 36 and the module wrapping apparatus 80,located in the cab 18 of the harvester 10 for initiating operation of apair of hydraulic gate cylinders (not shown), which are coupled betweenthe fixed side walls 42 and the gate side walls 44, as is well known,for causing the discharge gate 46 to be pivoted to its raised dischargeposition for permitting the wrapped module 94 to roll onto acradle-shaped framework 96 of a module discharge arrangement 100.

The framework 96 of the module discharge arrangement 100 is pivotallymounted, as at 102, to a rear end region of the main frame 12 forswinging vertically between a raised, module-receiving position, asshown, and a lowered, module-depositing position for permitting themodule 94 to roll off the framework 96 onto the ground. The framework 96is moved between its raised and lowered positions by a pair of hydraulicactuators 104 mounted between the frame 12 and the framework 96. Themodule discharge arrangement 100 may be operated such that two cottonmodules 94 are deposited on the ground close to each other forsubsequent handling by leaving a first wrapped module 94 on theframework 96 during formation and wrapping of a second module 94, withthe first module 94 being deposited on the ground shortly before theframework 96 is positioned for receiving and then depositing the secondwrapped module 94. For the purpose of generating data for cotton yieldmapping, a cotton module weight measuring device (not shown) may beassociated with the module discharge arrangement 100 so as to produce aweight signal, when a cotton module is resting on the cradle defined bythe framework 96, with the weight measuring device being coupled to thecomputer 170. At the same time, the location in the field where theweighed module was produced is determined by a global positioning systemincluding a signal transmitter (not shown) carried by the harvester 10.

In order to aid in the handling and identification of the modules 94subsequent to their being deposited on the ground, the wrapping material86 is preferably manufactured to include a plurality of electronicidentification tags, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags,for example. Specifically, with reference to FIG. 2 there is shown alength of the wrapping material 86 including three identical segments106, with each segment being a predetermined length sufficient forproviding a desired number of wraps about the circumference of a module94 having a predetermined diameter. Thus, each of the wrapping materialsupply rolls 84 is manufactured to wrap a given number of modules havinga predetermined diameter. As considered when wrapped about a givenmodule 94, each of the segments 106 includes an inner tail section 108and an outer tail end 110, with the section 108 and tail end 110 beingjoined together prior to being separated by the cut-off or separationdevice 130 of the module wrapping system 80. As considered when beingfed into the module-forming chamber 38, the inner tail section 108 mayalternatively be called a leading tail section while the outer tail end110 may alternatively be called a trailing end. Because of the nature ofhow the wrapping material 86 enters the module-forming chamber 38 duringthe wrapping function, the first six feet or so of the inner tailsection 108 does not bond well with the next adjacent layer of thewrapping material 86. After approximately six feet of wrapping materialbecomes engaged with the module, wrap tension and tackiness of one sideof the wrapping material 86 helps bond the inner layer of the wrappingmaterial to the second layer.

It is possible that adjacent segments 106 of the wrapping material 86may be joined together at a lapped joint connected together by anadhesive which permits separation of the joint upon the application of apredetermined tensile force to the lapped joint. U.S. Pat. 6,787,209discloses a plastic wrapping material utilizing such lapped joints. Whenusing a wrapping material 86 consisting of a plurality of sectionscoupled end-to-end at lapped joints, no cutting mechanism is required toseparate the segments 106 one from another. Rather, all that is requiredis to apply a braking force to the wrapping material teed roll 88, suchas with the brake arm 164 and brake pad 166 described above, with thewrapping action of the module 94 and module-forming belts 50 creatingthe tensile force necessary for separating the joint. Separation of thejoint exposes adhesive on the outer end section of the wrapping materialsegment 106 adjacent the outer tail end 110 which serves to adhere theouter end section to the underlying layer of wrapping material 86.

In any event, each of the identical segments 106 of the wrappingmaterial 86 is provided with three RFID tag assemblies 112,114 and 116,which each include a paper backing into which two RFID tags 118 areincorporated, the purpose of the two tags 118 being to provide aredundancy in the event one of the tags is defective.

The RFID tag assemblies 112, 114 and 116 are strategically placed oneach wrapping material segment 106 to allow RFID tag reading capabilityunder various conditions or functions, as is explained below. The tagassembly 112 is fixed to the wrapping material 86 at a location centeredwithin the inner tail section 108. The RFID tag assembly 114 is attachedto the wrapping material 86 at a location adjacent one of its lateralsides and spaced in trailing relationship to the outer tail end 110, asconsidered in the direction the wrapping material 86 travels duringwrapping operation. The RFID tag assembly 116 is attached to thewrapping material 86 at a location adjacent an opposite side from, andin leading relationship to, the location of the RFID tag assembly 114.The base identification number of each of the six tags of the three tagassemblies 112,114 and 116 is identical. To differentiate the tagassembly 114 from the tag assemblies 112 and 116, different suffixes areused as part of the numbering scheme, with it being noted that RFIDreaders can be made to screen for certain suffix locations.

Referring again to FIG. 1, an RFID tag reader 120 is provided on anupper rear location of the vehicle frame 12 adjacent a rear undersideregion of the wrapping material guide structure 92. During wrappingoperation, when the reader 120 identifies the presence of the tagassembly 114, a tag identification signal can be sent to the on boardcomputer 170, which sends a separate signal to the electric linear motor146 of the cut-off or separating device 130 to cause operation of thecut-off or separating device 130 for separating the lead wrappingmaterial segment 106 from the adjacent following segment 106. AnotherRFID tag reader 122 is provided at a location adjacent the inlet 40 ofthe module-forming chamber 38. The reader 122 is positioned such that itwill detect the tag assembly 114, regardless of the diameter of thecotton module 94 being formed. The orientation and power level of theRFID tag reader 122 is such that at least one wrap must be completedduring the wrapping process before the reader will identify the tagassembly 114. In the event that the tag assembly 114 is not identifiedwithin a certain time, as determined by a timer 172, after a signal hasbeen sent to the computer 170 to initiate the wrapping operation, awarning device 174, that is coupled to the computer 170, is energized toprovide a warning to the operator to help prevent the operator fromletting the module 94 exit the machine 10 prior to being wrapped. Analternate RFID tag reader 124 is mounted to a support extending betweenan upper region of the fixed side walls 42 located beneath an upperhorizontal run of the module-forming belts 50. The tag reader 124 wouldalso be oriented and powered so as to be capable of confirming that tagassembly 114 has made it into the module-forming chamber 38.

Wrapping operation may be automatically initiated upon the bale sizesensor 69 sending out a size signal which corresponds to a pre-selectedsize placed in the memory of the computer 170 by an input key 178coupled to the computer 130. The computer 170 will then send a feedinitiate signal to the linear motor 146, causing the latter to extend,thereby bringing the tensioning roll 158 into engagement with the drivebelt 156 so as to effect the drive connection between the lower reargate roll 62 and the feed roll 88. The feed rolls 88 and 90 thencounter-rotate so as to feed the leading end of the leading segment 106of the wrapping material 86 against the vertical run of the belts 50which carries the wrapping material downwardly and beneath the roll 62where it is moved along the guide structure 92 and into the balingchamber 38. At this time the completed module 94 is rotating and thewrapping material 86 is carried along with the module 94 and belts 50.The leading wrapping material segment 106 is cut-off or separated fromthe adjacent following segment, in the manner described above, when thetag reader 120 reads the signal emitted by the RFID tag 114 and providesan input signal to the computer 171.

By taking advantage of the hexadecimal system used for RFID tagidentification, supply rolls 84 of the wrapping material 86 can beconfigured so that a given portion of a supply roll 84 can beindividually identified, with a segment count-down arrangement 176 ofthe circuit tracking this information. One possible use of thisinformation is to give notice to an operator, by way of a display 178,for example, as to how many wrap segments 106 are still left on thesupply roll 84 so that the operator knows when a new supply roll 84 ofwrapping material 86 must be loaded into the wrapping mechanism 80.

Aside from providing information concerning the location of a givensegment 106 of the wrapping material 86 during the wrapping operation,the RFID tags 112, 114, and 116 can be set up to correlate a givenwrapped module 94 with other information, including the grower's name,seed variety, field number, module diameter, module weight, modulemoisture content, average yield where module is produced, and GPSlocation and associated mapping data.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown the wrapped cotton module 94lying on the ground. The wrapping material segment 106 is arranged onthe module 94 such that the RFID tag assembly 112 is located against theright-hand side of the cotton module at a location just above the groundline, the RFID tag assembly 114 is located between two adjacent wraps ofthe wrapping material segment 106 at approximately a 2:00 o'clocklocation adjacent one end of the module 94, and the tag assembly 116 isbetween adjacent wraps of the wrapping material at a locationapproximately diametrically opposite from, and adjacent the opposite endof the module 94 from, the tag assembly 114. It can be seen that themodule 94 becomes deformed from its cylindrical shape when resting onthe ground so as to have a relatively long contact zone C. Because ofthis, it is possible that the RFID tag assemblies 112 and 114 can bothbe in ground contact after the module 94 is deposited on the ground bythe harvester 10. The position of the RFID tag assembly 116 relative tothe tag assemblies 112 and 114 is selected so that it is ensured that atleast one of the tag assemblies 112, 114 and 116 is out of groundcontact so as to permit it to be read with a hand-held or machinecarried tag reader.

Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent thatvarious modifications can be made without departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

1. A cylindrical module forming and wrapping implement comprising: amodule-forming arrangement including a chamber having an inlet; a supplyroll of wrapping material being mounted outside said chamber; a wrappingmaterial feed device being mounted between said supply roll of wrappingmaterial and said inlet of said chamber and being selectively operablefor feeding wrapping material into said inlet of said chamber; saidsupply roll of wrapping material including a plurality of segments ofwrapping material each having a length sufficient for providing adesired number of wraps about a module having a predetermined diameterand including a leading end section and a trailing end, as considered ina direction of travel of said lengths of wrapping material during awrapping operation, with said segments of wrapping material being joinedtogether in end-to-end relationship and being spirally wrapped to formsaid wrapping material supply roll; said module-forming chamberincluding a module-forming arrangement defining a circumference of saidchamber and being operable for forming a module of harvested cropmaterial and for applying a leading one of said segments of the wrappingmaterial to said module to form a wrapped module, with said leading endsection of said one of said segments of the wrapping material forming aninner tail section of said one of said segments of wrapping material andbeing overlapped by a remaining portion of said one of said segments ofthe wrapping material; a powered separating device being responsive to aseparate signal for effecting separation of said trailing end of saidone segment from a leading end section of an immediately followingsegment; at least one electronic tag being pre-attached to each of saidsegments of said supply roll of the wrapping material prior to said oneof said segments of wrapping material being wrapped about said module,with said at least one electronic tag being located adjacent said outertail end of each of said segments; a tag reading device being locatedfor reading said at least one electronic tag before said trailing end ofsaid one segment enters said chamber and for generating a tagidentification signal; and an electronic control device adapted forreceiving said tag identification signal and for generating a separationcontrol signal in response to receiving said tag identification signal,with said separation control signal being connected to said separationdevice for causing said separation device to effect separation of saidtrailing end of said one module from the leading end section of saidnext adjacent segment.
 2. The module-forming and wrapping implement, asdefined in claim 1, wherein a second electronic tag is attached to saidinner tail section of each segment, whereby a further tag reader may beused to identify the location of said second electronic tag and, hence,the location of said inner tail section of said one segment relative toa circumference of said module.
 3. The module-forming and wrappingimplement, as defined in claim 1 wherein said implement includes asecond electronic tag reader at a location adjacent said inlet of saidchamber for detecting said at least one electronic tag only after atleast one complete wrap of said leading one of said plurality ofsegments has been applied to said module.